Theatrics of dinner Hamming up the flavor BY BRIAN DUFF
	BIBO’S MAD APPLE CAFÉ BIBO’S MAD APPLE CAFÉ 23 Forest Ave | 207.774.9698 | Lunch Wednesday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; dinner Wednesday-Saturday 5:30-9 p.m., Sunday 4-8 p.m.; Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Everyone knows that most new restaurants struggle. Then they fail, resulting in bitterness, debt, and divorce. The flipside of this truism is that in certain segments of the restaurant business there is a tyranny of the new. If a new place arrives and takes off, it gets all the attention for a while. This is currently the case in Portland’s semi-fine dining scene. These are the places where the entrees run in the $15-$20 range, most wines are just a little more, and where innovation and solid preparation trump exotic and expensive ingredients.

Depending on how far east you find yourself on Congress any given night, you have a good selection in this category. Right now the two that get the most attention are the one farthest east, the Blue Spoon, and the one farthest west, Dogfish Café. But if you find yourself at the bottom of Munjoy Hill, you can get a meal that is just as good at Ribollita, and if you find yourself in the arts district you can head to Bibo’s Mad Apple Café, just off Congress at the top of Forest Ave. Since the theater season has started, it seemed like a good time to check out Bibo’s, which I had not heard about in a while.

What no one likes to admit about theater is that it usually really stinks. Its preachy, overwrought, and you can see the actors’ spit. But you have to go once in a while just to remind yourself that you are better off staying home to watch it. But it’s a good excuse to get dressed up and go to a nice dinner. Bibo’s is a great spot right next door to Portland Stage, and ensures the night won’t be a wash. Used to the theater crowd, they have become experts at getting everyone fed and out the door in time for curtain.

Whereas Dogfish’s decor is hip, Blue Spoon’s elegant, and Ribollita’s cozy, Bibo’s Mad Apple is decidedly quirky. Particularly in the sort of faux-porch front room there is a mad confluence of colors that works fine when the place is full but is a bit much when you take a second to look around. Best to bring a charming companion, as I did, so your eyes won’t wander.

The menu will soon distract you too, as Bill Boutwell (that’s Bibo) fills it with a number of creative and intriguing appetizers and entrees. The menu changes every few months, and the one we saw had a bit of a bachelor-pad experimentation feel to it. "Why not sprinkle some blue cheese on beef tips?" I could imagine some 20-something in a cramped kitchen saying to himself. "Maybe I will just top this pork chop with onions, apples, and cheddar." "What if I encrusted chicken with rice?" It’s a type of cuisine perfected by Prague’s Klub Architektu, and I did not expect to find it at Bibo’s.

But it worked for the most part, though I did not think we caught Bibo’s on their best night. The coconut curry marinade did not do much for the sea scallops, which were nonetheless cooked nicely. And while it was interesting to serve them over kim chee, it was jarring to get the hot scallops on top of the cold cabbage. The crab and lobster cakes were divine at first crispy bite, but maybe a little to mushy in the middle. We welcomed the big chunks of lobster more than the big chunks of bell pepper.

The aforementioned pork was nice, and I liked the onions, apples, and cheese. The cider glace that came with it was super sweet, but tasted great when soaked up by the polenta. The beef tips were perfectly tender and, you know, why not sprinkle blue cheese on them? Bibo’s was working with some strong flavors, and I was glad that our waiter pointed us to a nice and affordable wine that stood up to them. Like the thespians next door, Bibo’s is not afraid of experimentation. Like those rare examples of good theater, it does not take itself too seriously. And at Bibo’s you never have to see people spit.